[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 73 (Tuesday, June 9, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H4253-H4254]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, June 4, 1998, during the 
consideration of House Joint Resolution 78, I apparently voted contrary 
to my intent on one part of the amendment offered by the gentleman from 
Georgia.
  I correctly voted ``no'' on the second part of the amendment, but 
thinking and intending to vote ``no'' on the first part, I apparently 
made a mistake and pushed the wrong button, and inadvertently voted 
``yes'' on rollcall 198. I was shocked and disbelieving, Mr. Speaker, 
to discover my unintended vote of ``aye'' on the first part of the 
amendment, which would have stricken the reference to, and I quote, 
``acknowledge God in our Constitution'' and replaced it with ``freedom 
of religion.'' I did not and do not support that proposal.
  As I said in my statement, Mr. Speaker, on House Joint Resolution 78, 
``. . . we do need to stress that faith in God and raising our voices 
in prayer continues to be one of the most important things that 
Americans can do.'' Mr. Speaker, the right to acknowledge

[[Page H4254]]

one's God was fundamental to the founding of this great country. 
Indeed, the Founding Fathers acknowledged God as the source of our 
unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

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